Car-brake



H. A. MEARS.

Car Brake.

Patented May 1, 1860.

Inventor. fw( mw' Witnesses: i

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AM. PHDTO'LITHUJIO. NfY-(OSBORNES PROCESS.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

H. A. MEABS, OF PEGA'IONICA, ILLINOIS.

CAR-BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 28,098, dated May 1, 1860.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, H. A. MEARS, of Pecatonica, in the county ofTinnebago and State of Illinois, have invented a new and ImprovedCar-Brake; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, making a part of this specifica-tion, in which-Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section of my invention, theline m, a?, Fig. 2 indicating the plane of section. Fig. 2 is a plan ortop view of ditto.

Similar letters of reference indicate cor responding parts in bothviews.

This invention consists in arranging a sliding frame with two frictionwheels to act on the opposite side of a corresponding friction wheel,secured to the axle of one pair of wheels in such relation to thebrakes, as well as to the bumpers, that on slackening the speed of theengine the momentum of the cars causes the sliding frame to be pushed upagainst the friction wheel on the axle whereby the brakes are applied;and it consists also in arranging the friction wheels in the slidingframe, in combination with ratchet wheels and pawls in such a mannerthat an application of the brakes in the wrong direction is prevented aswill be hereinafter more fully explained.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention I willproceed to describe its construction and operation with reference to thedrawing.

A is the frame of a railroad car, or of a portion of the same,constructed in the usual manner and supported by four wheels B, B',which are secured to axles C, C. The cross timbers a, of the frame A,are connected by the longitudinal side timbers Z), and by the additionalcentral longitudinal timbers 0*, which latter form the guides for asliding frame D. This frame is constructed of sheet metal and it extendson either side to about equal distances from the axle C. The sides ofthe frame D, form the bearings for two arbors c, c, which bear thefriction wheels d, cl', and a similar friction wheel di?. is secured tothe axle C, of the wheels B. The friction wheels (I, d', are placedloosely on the arbors c, 0, and spring pawls c, which are secured to thesides of said friction wheels and which gear into ratchet wheels f, f',placed firmly on the arbors c, c', cause said arbors to move with thewheels in one direction while they allow an independent motion of thefriction wheels in the other direction. means of 'chains g, with a leverE, which is attached to the brake heads F, F', by means of rods 7L, 12,.The chains g, extend over a guide roller Gr, that serves to direct theirends to the arbors c, c.

The sliding frame D, is operated by a rod e', connecting with a lever H,that connects with the bumper at the back end of the car. The rod z',passes freely through the end of the sliding frame D, and it isfurnished with two shoulders j, j, leaving to the rod a certain amountof play in a longitudinal direction, and spiral springs la, c, areinterposed between said shoulders and the frame so that a sudden motionof the rod in one direction or in the other causes a gradual motion ofthe sliding frame thereby preventing a sudden application of brakes.

The operation is as follows: The train is supposed to move in thedirection of arrow 1, and the top end of the lever I-I, on the rear endof each car connects with the bumper of the next succeeding car. If thespeed of the engine is slackened, the momentum of each car causes thetop end of the lever H, of the next preceding car to move in thedirection of the arrow marked near it. By this motion the sliding frameis drawn in the direction of arrow 2, and the friction wheel d, isforced up against the friction wheel d, on the axle C. By these meansthe friction wheel d', is caused to rotate in the direction of the arrowmarked on it, and in moving in this direction the pawl on the side ofsaid friction wheel causes the arbor c', to partake of this motion. Thechain g, therefore winds u on said arbor, and the brakes are applie toboth pairs of wheels simultaneously, and with considerable power. Assoon as the pressure on the lever H, ceases, the sliding frame D, isallowed to recede whereby the contact between the surfaces of thefriction wheels cZ, and fl, is interrupted and the brakes are allowed tofall back from the wheels. When the speed of the engine increases againthe top of the lever H, is thrown in the direction opposite to the arrowmarked near the same in Fig. 1. The friction wheel cl, is thereby forcedup against the friction wheel di, on the axle C, and it is rotated inthe direction of the arrow marked thereon in Fig. l. In moving said Thearbors c, c, connect byl by Letters Patent, is

1. The arrangement of the sliding frame xD, With the friction Wheels d,d', in combination With the friction Wheel d, chains g, and brakes F,F', constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for thepurpose set forth.

2. The combination of the pawls e, and ratchet Wheels f, f, with thefriction Wheels d, d, cZ*, arranged in the manner and for the purposeVset forth.

` H. A. MEARS.

Witnesses: Y

A. S. VAN DYKE, ANDREW AINSWORTH.

